The Best Hotels to Book in Coronado, California, for Every Traveler

Discover the star-studded history of Hotel del Coronado during your beachfront stay
Discover the star-studded history of Hotel del Coronado during your beachfront stay | © Ian G Dagnall / Alamy Stock Photo
Nick Dauk

Whether you need a break from the East Coast or simply a Southern California staycation, Coronado is a gem of a vacation destination on the West Coast. This city, on a peninsula off San Diego, offers the type of world-class resort living you thought you’d only find in the OC. Trust us, San Diego Bay will become your bae moments after you check into one of the best hotels in Coronado, all bookable with Culture Trip.

1. Best Western Plus Suites Coronado Island, for a budget-friendly stay near the bay

Hotel

Two double beds in a room with a mustard accent wall and a patterned carpet at Best Western Plus Suites Hotel Coronado Island
Courtesy of Best Western Plus Suites Hotel Coronado Island / Booking.com

No need to blow your budget on a beachfront bungalow; the affordable Best Western Plus keeps you close to the beach and bay. Take advantage of the low rates with a single king room, which includes a free, full breakfast and an in-room wet bar, microwave, and mini-fridge, ensuring you have everything you need for low-cost self-catering. When you feel like eating out, the restaurants around the ferry landing are two blocks away – there’s hardly a better spot to take in the San Diego skyline.

2. Coronado Island Marriott Resort and Spa, for refined al fresco dining

Hotel

A double bed in a modern cream- and grey-toned bedroom with a couch, writing desk, flat screen TV and private balcony at Coronado Island Marriott Resort & Spa
Courtesy of Coronado Island Marriott Resort & Spa / Booking.com

This Coronado beachfront hotel won’t have to twist your arm to get you into its spa – reserve time for a full body massage that’ll unwind every muscle. The property is just as blissful beyond the spa. Reserve a table at on-site restaurant Albaca to dine on spicy Baja cioppino with bayside views of the San Diego skyline. Or, for a warmer way to dine al fresco, we recommend snagging a room with a private fire pit.

3. Villa Capri by the Sea, for touring Coronado on two wheels

Villa

Large Villa Capri neon sign and people walking their bicycles just beneath it
Courtesy of Villa Capri by the Sea / Booking.com

Located just minutes from both Coronado Beach and Glorietta Bay, this retro-chic motel combines neon signage with mid-century furnishings. King and queen rooms can be upgraded to suites with full kitchens if needed. Take it from us, though: there’s no need to self-cater when you can order the delicious blackened swordfish at the nearby, bayside Bluewater Boathouse. Start your morning with fresh coffee in the lobby, hop on a complimentary bike to explore the Bayshore Bikeway, then beeline it there for dinner.

5. Hotel del Coronado, for a seaside stay fit for movie stars

Hotel

A contemporary room at Hotel del Coronado featuring a double bed topped with blue patterned cushions, a seating area with a champagne bucket, and large windows with white shutters.
Courtesy of Hotel del Coronado, Curio Collection by Hilton / Expedia.com
One look at Hotel del Coronado, Curio Collection by Hilton, and you know you’re in for a magical seaside stay. Awake in your own beachfront cottage and simply roll out of bed for a yoga class on the shore. Pamper yourself at Salon at The Del, the very place where Marilyn Monroe got ready for her close-ups in Some Like It Hot, filmed at the hotel in 1958. You won’t have to leave the resort, as a clothing shop, gift shop, snack shop, newsstand, convenience store, and foreign currency exchange are all within walking distance of your suite.

6. 1906 Lodge, for a romantic getaway

Hotel

The entrance to 1906 Lodge, with colorful flowerbeds fronting white archways and a tiled porch.
Courtesy of 1906 Lodge / Expedia.com

Have that romantic getaway you’ve always dreamed of at 1906 Lodge on Coronado Beach. For more than a century, couples have snuggled up by the fireplace and enjoyed a de-stressing soak in the spa tubs of these handsome guest rooms. Unwind with your partner over complimentary bottomless mimosas and wine during happy hour. Take long walks on Coronado Beach, just two blocks away, and feel the romance as the sun sinks in a blaze over the ocean.

7. Coronado Beach Resort, for a warm welcome

Hotel

The cosy lounge area at Coronado Beach Resort, with a roaring fireplace surrounded by seats topped with red-and-cream striped cushions that match the window blinds.
Courtesy of Coronado Beach Resort / Booking.com

Coronado Beach Resort does indeed have resort-level amenities including a rooftop hot tub and suites with ocean-view balconies, but what makes this place unique is the bed-and-breakfast hospitality. You’ll get to mingle with the owners every Monday morning – and you’ll be treated like family by the friendly, welcoming staff. Coronado Beach Resort aims to care for you, physically and mentally, and won’t be satisfied until you feel right at home.

8. La Avenida Inn, for an affordable, pet-friendly vacation

Hotel

A double bed with white sheets and blue pillows at La Avenida Inn
Courtesy of La Avenida Inn / Expedia.com

La Avenida Inn is the best value place to stay in Coronado, hands-down. Its five-star location in the heart of the city can’t be beaten, and even the standard rooms offer a surprising amount of space, as well as picturesque views. Within minutes, you and your pet (yes, they’re welcome, too) can be up, dressed, and at Coronado Beach and Dog Park. Casual California charm doesn’t come cheap, but at La Avenida Inn, it is definitely affordable.

9. Glorietta Bay Inn, for a luxury workation

Inn

A spacious double room at Glorietta Bay Inn with a wrought-iron four-poster bed backed by a large mirror, a gray sofa topped with light pink cushions, and an open door leading to an outside seating terrace.
Courtesy of Glorietta Bay Inn / Expedia.com

Glorietta Bay Inn is first and foremost a dream for families and luxury travelers, but it’s also a fantastic option for business travelers who fancy a little sea air with their Zoom calls. Some rooms come with desks or tables where you can complete your work while enjoying the view of Glorietta Bay out of the window. Restaurants and cafes are right around the corner, but for the busy business traveler, a complimentary continental breakfast can be delivered to your bedside table in the Mansion Rooms. Cookies and milk can also be delivered with your nightly turndown service, because calories don’t count on work trips, right?

10. El Cordova Hotel, for a convenient family retreat

Hotel

Blue couches, a floral-patterned carpet and bronze furnishings in a room with yellow walls at El Cordova Hotel
Courtesy of El Cordova Hotel / Expedia.com

Convenience comes as standard for families staying at El Cordova Hotel. All suites have full kitchens and a little extra space built in to make sure parents and kids don’t squabble. Roll-away beds and cribs are available on request, and kids stay free, which is a nice extra touch. El Cordova is only a 20-minute drive from the airport and half that distance to downtown San Diego. With a pool and beach just steps away from your suite, both you and the kids are guaranteed a pleasant stay.

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